Means for reversing screw-propelled boats.



I. G. A. KITCHEN &,I. H` STDREY.

YMEANS roR REvERsmG sc PELLED BOATS. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 28| I9 yl R EWED MAY 3,1915- 1,186,210. Patented June 6, 1916.

v2 SHEETS-SHEET I. I \g.I. II-IQ. 2..

I. G. A. KITCHEN & I. H. STOREY. MEANS Fon aEvERsING scnw PROPELLED BOATS. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 28, I9I4. RENEWED MAY 3,1916.

- 'Patented June 6, 1916.

C27@ weeg JOHN GEORGE AUEsEBEOOK Specification of Letters Patent.

MEANS FOR REVERSING- SCREW-PROPELLEB BOATS.

,Patented June 6,1916.

Application' led October 28, 1914, Serial No. 869,051. Renewed lfay 3, 1916. Serial No. 95,290.

T 0 all whom t may concern Beit known that we, JOHN GEORGE AULsE- i Now according to our invention, in place 1 of the twin flat rudders hitherto pro Osed, we use longitudinally channeled de ectors in pairs, which may be also used as rudders, independently mounted abreast of the propeller or propellers on vertically arranged rotatable shafts, the hollow faces of the deflectors being opposite one another. The deflectors are totally submerged and transversely inclose the propeller or propellers as nearly as possible but without interfering with the independent and necessary angular movement of either one of the pair, the rear ends of the deiiectors being beveled s o that4 when they are 'both deflected stern-ward to their full extent an inclosed hollow abutment is formed behind each propeller. Normally the defiectorslie parallel with the keel and when they are to be used as rudders they can be moved to one side or the other, still remaining parallel. When however the deiiectors are both turned so that their rear edges approach or touch one another, the mass'of water thrust stern-ward by the propeller or propellers when rotating, is deflected in a forward direction in an efficient manner, and the boat will then proceed sternward. By symmetrically'varying the rela-V tive angles of these deflectors while they remain with their faces longitudinally convergingstern-ward, so that there is a larger or smaller opening between the rear edges thereof, the speed can be varied both forward and stern-ward as the forward propelling effect ofthe screw or screws is only partially neutralized. By relatively varying the angles of the deflectors while their rear l edges .are in contact or nearly so, so that the two deflectors have different angles in relation to the keel, the boat can be steered b the deectors while proceeding stern-war The deflectors are provided with suitable operating gear by which they 'can be moved, in either direction while remaining parallel with one another, so as to act as rudders, or

in opposition to one another so as to provide the necessary abutment for reversing.

The twin flat rudders hitherto proposed could be set to form an abutment in one plane behind the ropeller, or in two planes inclined laterally toward the' propeller behind whereby the re-action of the column of water thrust stern-ward by the propeller, was inefficient owing tothe tendency of the column to spread out laterally at its base.'

With our improvements, the utmost eiliciency possible is obtained as practically 'no water escapes in a radial direction when the defiectors are closed, Ithe re-action being as desired. And further, the detlectors offer the least possible resistance when going astern, as .well as when 1being used as ruders.

The drawings attached hereunto illustrate several applicationsL of our invention to boats provided witha single propeller and with twin propellers.

Figure l represents the stern part' of a boat in side elevation and'Fig. Qthe same in end elevation.y In these two viewjs the, Iplates forming the abutment and hereinafter termed deflectors are intended to act also as a rudder. Fig. 3 represents the deectors in plan. Figs. 4 and 5 represent end elevation and plan respectively of the Figs.

deectors. fixed for driving astern. 3 and 7 are similar views of the/.deflectors vKITCHEN, OF LANCASTER, AND ISAAC HENRY STOREY,

OF AMBLESIDE, ENGLAND. i.

being used as a rudder. Fig. 8 shows the deflectors in plan set for steering in one dithe example thereby illustrated, the Ordinary rudder is dispensed with. The abutment' is made (as hitherto stated) of concave plates which are quite suitable to do lduty as a rudder. There are thus in this case, two rudders which remain in parallel relationship for steering purposes while the boat is being driven forward, l,and act exactly in the same manner as a single rudder,

if properly controlled,l as they shouldmove together.. ln the drawings, S represents the stern part of a boat to which our invention is applied, and P represents the propeller. The abutmentl consists of the deector d and the degctor d1, the fdeflector a? being fixed to the end of the vertical tubular shaft e and the deector d1, to the end of the cen trai shaft f. These shafts are concentrically arranged and pass through the stern part of the boat being mounted in suitable bearings therein.A lt will be seen that the two deiectors CZ and d1- are exactly alike except that the footlz. of the shaft e is fixed on the outside of the deiiector d and the foot 11,1 of the shaft f is fixed on the inside of the deector d1. To the upper ends of the shafts are xed lever arms such as g and g1 to which the hand controlling gear is connected. I `Each deiiector shown consists of an approximately semi-cylindrical shell with the corners at the front end rounded 0E as at l and at the rear end mitered as at 2. The hollow sides 'of the two delectors face one another directly, the propeller being be tween. The lower part of each deiiector. is shown supported in a footstep bearing 3 carried by an arm i xed-to the keel of the boat. In Figs. land 2, the two deectors are parallel with the keel and in this position, the boat can be driven forward in asstraight line. If the two deiiectors d andl di are turned together so that they remain relatively parallel, either to the right hand or to the left, they will act in the same way as an ordinary rudder would do and the boat can easily be steered thereby. Figs. 6 and 7 show the deectors CZ and d1 turned to `the right as they would be when used for steering forward in one direction. Figs. 4

Vand 5 show the deiiectors el and d'1, closed at their rear ends, the latter formingxa mitered jointln this position the boat w1ll be driven sternward when the propeller is rotated for' forward driving. rlhe maxi- I'num speed sternward will be obtained when the \two deiiectors -touch one another as shown in Figs. l and 5. lf the rear edges 2 do not close, then the speed sternward will driven against the deflectors d and cil, is not parallel with the keel and will tend to turn the boat around. y

Fig. 94 represents in plan, looking from underneath, the stern part of a boat fitted with twin/propellers and deflectors arranged in accordance with our invention. 3 Fig. l() represents a side elevation' of the stern part of the boat. The deectors d and d1 are pivoted in footstep bearings at r,

`see Fig. 10. ln this example also the deflectors act as rudders. rl`heir edges 2` close against the keel 0 when theboat is being driven sternward. ln order to enable the boat to be steered while moving sternward,

one of the members is not allowed to closey in contact with the keel at its rear end, whereby the tendency to travel in a straight line is modied by the unequal thrust of water on the two defiectors. Generally the/ remarks referring to Figs. l to 8 as to the relative positions of the deiectors for drivingsternward, illustrated by Figs. 9 and 10, and for steering both forward and sternward, apply equally to the example shown in these views.

Fig. 11 shows in plan diagrammatically,

a simple arrangement for controlling the movements of the deiectors by means of hand levers. This arrangement would necessitate'the use of both hands, but in actual practice, a more convenient method would probably be used. lt will be seen that the shaft e is provided with' a lever arm g and the shaft f, with 'a similar arm -gl fixedthereto. Within reach of the steersman are two hand levers g2 and g3 one on each side. rlhese are connected with the lever arms g and g1 by means of the coupling rods g4 and. iWith this arrangement the positions' 5 gf thetwo members of the deectors can be varied at will so as to enable the boat to be steered in a forward direction by moving the hand levers to one side or the other in a parallel manner, or to cause'the boat to move sternward by -moving the levers away from one another, thereby masking` the propeller behind. lf the levers are moved so as to close together the two members of the abutment, the boat will travel directly sternward, but if the lever handles are pushed apart unevenly so that the deectors assume a pbsition similar to that shown in Fig. 8, the boat will movesternward in a curveto one side or the other according to which side of the center line the deflectors -miter, or tend-to miter. The delectors are shown in the drawings provided with footstep bearings but these may be discarded this case, the deiiectors would remain parallel with the keel Iwhile the boat is progressing forward. If the ordinary rudder be re'- tained the control of the deiiectors for reversing would perhaps be simplified as when the deflectors are to be used as rudders also, there must be a combined or differential arrangement for controlling the deflectors as such and as rudders actuated by one pair of hands. y

`In the case o boats with three or more propellers, the deiectors may be arranged so that each propeller has one at each side as in Figs. 1 and 2. r In cases where this course is practicable, deiectors arranged as shown in Figs. 9 and 10 may be used where there are four propellers. Or the sternmost pair may have deflectors so arranged', and the forward outer pair of propellers, delectors arranged., as described with reference to igs. 1 and 2. 'Y Y In the adjustment shown in Fig. 3, the abutments Z and d1 are disposed endwise in the water with their edges facing the current and with their larger areas parallel with the current thereby reducing resistance to a minimum. This adjustment we will term a feathering adjustment. Iii- Fig. 7 the abutments are adjusted in a partially feathering position wherein the greater areasof their lateralfaces oii'er resistance tothe water to ,swerve the boat from a ,straight line course.

` We claim l. A ship provided with a propeller, a

reversing and controlling means comprising propeller, or into a wake enveloping and a hollow body, and means fory adjusting said body into a feathering or partially feathering position`laterally of the propeller,'. or into a wake enveloping and arresting position behind said propeller, substantially as described.

2. A ship provided with a propeller, a

reversing and controlling means comprising a hollow body mounted to swing about a substantially vertical axis intersecting the axis of rotation of the propeller, and means for adjusting said body into a eathering or partially feathering position laterally of the arresting position with respect to said propeller, substantially as and for ,the purpose set forth. ,f

3. A ship provided with a propeller, a reversing and controlling means comprising a rsubstantially U-shaped body having its ends Vmounted for turning movement of said body about an aXis substantially vertical and intersecting the aXis of rotation of said propeller, and means for adjusting said body into a full or partially feathering position or into a trailing wake arresting position with respect t'o said propeller, substantially as described. 1

4. A ship provided with a propeller, and a controlling and reversing'means comprisling coacting channel-shaped bodies, and means for separating said bodies fromeach other into opposed and lateral relation with respect to the propeller and into feathering or partially ieathering positions in the water, or'into engaged or slightly spaced coacti'ng relation behindand in the wake of the propeller to thereby form a hollow wake enveloping abutment,V substantially as described.

-5. A ship provided with a propeller, a controlling and reversing means comprising coacting .channel-shaped bodies mounted to be rotated about a-vertical axis intersecting the axis of rotation of the propeller, and means for separating said bodies from each other into opposed lateral relation withv respect to said propeller and into feathering or partially feathering positions in the water, or into engaged coacting relation bei' hind and in the wake of the propeller to thereby form a hollow wake envelopingA abutment, substantially as described.

6. A ship vprovided with a propeller,

means comprising companion coacting hollow ship steering and reversing elements,- and mechanism for bodily adjusting said elements into engaged coacting relation with respect to each other-into an abrupt wake abutting and enveloping relation" behind the propeller or into angular positions with respect to the iow of the wake, substantially as described.

7 A ship provided with a propeller, a steering and a reversing means comprising coacting companion channel members shaped to engage each other in edge to edge relation, and mechanism for adjusting said members into engaged or partially open re-j lation with respect to each other and bodily adjusting said members in4 unison in either relation into an abrupt wake abutting relation behind the propeller or into angular positions with respect to the flow of the wake, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

8. A ship provided with a propeller, a steering and a reversing means comprising coacting companion channel members shaped to engage each other in edge to edge relation, to form a hollow body of miter formation, and means for adjusting said members in unison an in engaged relation with each other into an abrupt wake abutting relation behind the propeller or into angular positions With respect to the iiow of the Wake, substantially as described.

9. A ship provided With a propeller, a holi low steering and reversing element having a concave portion and mounted to swing about a Vertical axis intersecting the axis of mesmo the direction of the boat, or in angular positions on. either side of the propeller to steer the boat, or in feathering lateral positions with respect to the propeller, substantially 15 as described. f

JOHN GEORGE AULSEBROOK KITCHEN. ISAAC HENRY STOREY.

Witnesses:

JAS. A. SHEBHERD, CHAS. BERRY.v 

